Best Insurance

California Online Health Insurance for Small Businesses and Individuals : The new online marketplace where Californians will soon be able to buy health insurance is also building a program for small businesses.

Employers with fewer than 50 workers will have the option of joining the "Small Business Options Program," or SHOP, starting in 2014. Michael Lujan is helping to create the program - he says it will help small employers offer what big companies can.

He says small businesses will have a choice next year: They're not required to offer health benefits, but if they do through SHOP, there will be less paperwork and more health benefit choices.Health Insurance for Small Businesses in california

"Employers in order to prepare for this, I think need to do a bit of a check to see what's important to them," Lujan said. "What do they want to offer? What are they missing in the marketplace today? And they may find that the technology, tools, the employee choice and maybe even the tax credits might be very compelling for the SHOP."

Health Insurance for Small Businesses in california, Lujan estimates as many as 90,000 Californians who work for small businesses may be part of the SHOP next year. He says some employers will be eligible for a tax credit of up to 50% for the employee health premiums they pay.

 Ratings of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company : A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. (Ameritas Life) (Lincoln, NE), Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York (Ameritas, NY), Acacia Life Insurance Company (Acacia Life) (headquartered in Bethesda, MD) and The Union Central Life Insurance Company (Union Central) (headquartered in Cincinnati, OH). These insurance entities comprise the life/health operations of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company (Ameritas) (Lincoln, NE). Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the debt rating of “a-” on $50 million 8.20% surplus notes due 2026 of Union Central. The outlook for all ratings is stable.

The rating affirmations primarily reflect the group’s strong risk-adjusted capitalization, diversified operating platform, high quality balance sheet and favorable business profile. The ratings also reflect Ameritas Life’s well-established market position in group dental insurance. As a mutual holding company, Ameritas has good financial flexibility with the ability to access the capital markets through debt offerings. The organization’s current financial leverage is modest, with a reasonable level of intangibles facilitating a high-quality capital base. Additionally, A.M. Best notes that Ameritas’ below investment grade bonds currently represent less than 4% of the company’s fixed income portfolio, and its non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) have declined in recent periods.

A.M. Best believes that Ameritas Life’s favorable business profile should strengthen further under its unified branding strategy and improved economies of scale. Its broad portfolio of individual life, individual annuity, disability income, retirement plans and dental and vision products provide a steady source of diversified earnings. More recently, Ameritas’ earnings have been impacted by non-insurance related lines of business; however, it has historically experienced favorable operating results within its core insurance and annuity lines. Although A.M. Best expects these favorable results to continue in the near to medium term, Ameritas may be challenged to increase sales due to the sluggish U.S. economy, prolonged low interest rates and the highly competitive landscape within many of the group’s core lines of business.

Partially offsetting these positive rating factors are the modest decline in Ameritas’ operating income, primarily driven by the results of its Calvert Investments, Inc. (Calvert) subsidiary, which in 2012 experienced a noticeable drop in assets under management. Operating results also have been negatively impacted by a lack of scale, lower-than-expected persistency and the impact of the low interest rate environment within the group retirement plans segment. While earnings increased in the company’s individual life and annuity businesses, A.M. Best notes that a significant amount of Ameritas’ interest-sensitive reserves remain at or near the guaranteed minimum interest rate, which has caused some spread compression. However, this has been offset by an increase in earnings from its variable annuity product line as a result of increased sales and higher fees associated with an increase in fund balances. Moreover, while A.M. Best views favorably the pending sale of Acacia Federal Savings Bank due to the regulatory burden associated with being a bank holding company, the pending sale has resulted in a contingent net loss of approximately $35 million. Approximately $300 million of primarily interest-only loans have been excluded from the sale and have been transferred to Ameritas’ general account investment portfolio. A.M. Best will closely monitor the performance of these transferred loans.

Factors that could result in positive rating actions for Ameritas in the near to medium term include continued favorable earnings trends, improved operating performance at Calvert and continued overall top line growth.

Factors that may result in negative rating actions include deterioration in the group’s operating results, material investment losses or a lack of sustained revenue growth within its core lines of business.

A.M. Best also has withdrawn the FSR of A- (Excellent) and ICR of “a-” of Brokers National Life Assurance Company (BNLAC) (headquartered in Austin, TX). Following the reinsurance of its core dental and vision business to Ameritas Life, BNLAC will have a negligible amount of reserves and is expected to be sold (essentially as a shell) to a third party in the near term.

Hanover Insurance stock rating by A.M. Best Co : A.M. Best Co. has assigned a debt rating of "bb+" to the 40-year $175 million 6.35% fixed rate junior subordinated debentures recently issued by The Hanover Insurance Group Inc (Hanover, Inc.) (Worcester, MA) [NYSE: THG]. Additionally, A.M. Best has assigned indicative ratings of "bbb" on senior unsecured debt, "bb+" on junior subordinated debt and "bb+" on the preferred stock of the recently filed shelf registration of Hanover, Inc. The outlook assigned to all ratings is stable. All existing ratings of Hanover, Inc. and its subsidiaries are unchanged.

The rating assignments recognize Hanover P&C Group's (Hanover) favorable risk-adjusted capitalization and generally positive operating results despite significant catastrophic weather-related activity in the United States in recent years. The ratings also recognize Hanover's proactive and comprehensive risk management, its significant U.S. market presence in commercial and personal lines, as well as solid earnings in its international segment generated by its United Kingdom subsidiary, Chaucer Holdings, PLC.

As of December 31, 2012, Hanover, Inc.'s unadjusted debt-to-capital and debt-to-tangible capital ratios were 24.7% and 26.1%, respectively. The additional borrowings of $175 million will result in a slight increase of the unadjusted debt-to-capital and debt-to-tangible capital ratios to 27.1% and 28.5%, respectively, which remain well within the financial leverage guidelines for its assigned ratings.

While Hanover Inc.'s fixed charge coverage declined in 2012 from historical levels, largely due to a significant increase in catastrophe and weather-related losses (primarily from Hurricane Sandy), historical interest coverage has been supportive of its ratings.

The methodology used in determining these ratings is Best's Credit Rating Methodology, which provides a comprehensive explanation of A.M. Best's rating process and contains the different rating criteria employed in the rating process. Key criteria utilized include: "Insurance Holding Company and Debt Ratings"; "Equity Credit for Hybrid Securities"; and "Risk Management and the Rating Process for Insurance Companies." Best's Credit Rating Methodology can be found at www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.

A.M. Best Company is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Best Insurance stock - Aspen Insurance stock outlook 2013 : Aspen Insurance has been witnessing rising earnings estimates on the back of strong fourth-quarter 2012 results. Moreover, this property and casualty insurer delivered positive earnings surprises in all four quarters of 2012 with an average beat of 54.3%.

Additionally, Aspen Insurance and Goldman, Sachs & Co. ( GS - Analyst Report ) entered into an Accelerated Share Repurchase agreement whereby Aspen will pay $150 million to Goldman in exchange of its shares. Further, from Jan 1, 2013 through Feb 26, 2013, Aspen bought back $47 million shares. Aspen is left with $335 million under its $500 million share repurchase authorization.

Following a through review of businesses, management decided to lower its wind and earthquake exposure within the U.S. property insurance account. This would free up more than $200 million of capital that could be deployed to maximize shareholder value.

Aspen Insurance expects to generate operating return on equity of 10% in 2014. It delivered 8.5% in return on equity in 2012.

Aspen Insurance reported its fourth-quarter results on Feb 7. Non-GAAP loss per share came in at 15 cents, better than the Zack Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.21 per share.

Gross written premiums improved 25.6% year over year to $576.2 million in the fourth quarter. A surge of 40.2% in gross written premiums at the Insurance segment fueled the improvement.

Combined ratio improved 1710 basis points year over year to 107.1% in the fourth quarter.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2013 increased 6.8% to $2.97 per share as 3 of 6 estimates were revised higher over the last 60 days. Also for 2014, 3 of 6 estimates moved up, pushing the Zacks Consensus Estimate higher by 7.6% to $3.13 over the same time frame.

LIC  insurance behemoth bought 46% shares of RCF : Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) once again played the role of a white knight to rescue the share auction of Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) by the government.
The insurance behemoth bought 46%, or 31.63 million of the 69 million shares on offer of RCF during its offer for sale (OFS) last week.

This is not the first time LIC has bailed out a government disinvestment it had bought more than half of the bids in the ONGC and Hindustan Copper offering as well.

"We have not bailed out anyone. We have examined this (RCF) issue by its own strength and then taken a decision to participate. We will examine the future issues in a similar manner and then take a call,” D K Mehrotra, chairman of LIC told Business Standard today.

However, an investment banker familiar with the development said LIC was 'asked to keep the powder dry' for the RCF offering. “As the share-sale was not even half covered an hour before the close of bids. LIC had to put in a large-ticket application,” he said requesting anonymity.

Post the OFS, LIC now holds 6.69% stake in RCF, compared to 0.96% earlier.

Shares of RCF today closed at Rs 43.1, about 4% below their OFS price of about Rs 45 per share.

Investments made by LIC are typically for the long term but the mark-to-market losses on LIC's investments in RCF share auction stand at Rs 6.2 crore.

The government had raised about Rs 310 crore by divesting its 12.5% holdings in RCF through the OFS route on March 8.The 69 million share auction was subscribed 1.3 times and bulk of the bids had come at a price of Rs 45.02 per share as against the minimum offer price of Rs 45 per share.

Last year, the state-owned insurance major had bought about 377 million shares (88%) of the 427 million shares that were on offer during the ONGC share-auction, which was part of last year's disinvestment programme.

Earlier this year too during the Hindustan Copper OFS, LIC had to pick up 22.5 million shares, more than half the total 51.6 million shares auctioned.

RBS Direct Line Insurance stock down today : The shares of Royal Bank of Scotland  (LSE: RBS  ) (NYSE: RBS  )  slipped 1 pence to 305 pence during early London trade this morning after the bank announced late last night that it would sell more shares in Direct Line Insurance  (LSE: DLG  ) .

RBS confirmed it would offer 229.4 million shares -- equivalent to 15.3% of Direct Line's share capital -- to institutions via an 'accelerated bookbuild' process.


Direct Line's shares fell 4 pence, or 2%, to 206 pence during early trading, indicating RBS could raise about 470 million pounds from the disposal. The sale would take RBS's remaining stake in Direct Line to just below 50%.

RBS said the process could involve selling a further 22.9 million shares depending on sufficient institutional demand.

RBS is essentially a forced seller of Direct Line, having agreed to dispose of the insurer as part of the commitment made to the European Commission following the bank's taxpayer-funded bailout.

RBS sold 35% of Direct Line at 175 pence a share last year via a flotation and must sell the remainder before the end of 2014.

Within its annual results last month, Direct Line declared a maiden 8 pence per share dividend and implied the payout could have been 12 pence per share had the business operated separately from RBS throughout all of 2012.

Direct Line's results also showed underlying net earned premiums falling 5% to 3.7 billion pounds and underlying operating profits advancing 9% to 461 million pounds.

Based on those results, Direct Line is valued at less than 10 times profits and offers a possible 5.8% dividend income.

Of course, whether that 5.8% income, RBS's decision to sell more shares -- as well as the general outlook for the insurance industry -- actually combine to make Direct Line a buy remains your decision.

However, if you already own Direct Line shares and are looking for another dividend opportunity, this exclusive in-depth report reviews a solid income possibility within the FTSE 100.

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Fitch Ratings Etiqa Insurance Berhad financial strength rating at 'A' : Fitch Ratings has affirmed Malaysia-based Etiqa Insurance Berhad's insurer financial strength rating at 'A' with stable outlook. Fitch says the rating reflects EIB's broad distribution coverage, strong premium growth, a track record of sound operating performance and its status as a core member within Maybank Ageas Holdings Berhad (MAHB).

The rating recognises the company's solid risk-based capitalisation and strong liquidity position despite likely higher financial leverage after the proposed issue of subordinated debt in April 2013.

Fitch says EIB continues to maintain strong premium growth momentum through its bancassuance partnership with Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) and through its wide agency coverage across Malaysia.

Premium written from general and life insurance operations grew 18% and 88%, respectively, for the 12 months ended June 2012. Motor insurance and marine, aviation and transit (MAT) businesses are key growth drivers of EIB's general insurance's portfolio.

Business quality of the company's non-life insurance portfolio remains sound although its combined ratio deteriorated to 94.3% for the 12 months ended June 2012 from 91.3% over the same period in 2011. Mortality gain and investment return contributed favourably to the operating profitability of EIB's life insurance business.

EIB has maintained capital strength to support ongoing business growth and to absorb potential asset volatility. Its regulatory risk-based capitalisation was about 247% at end-June 2012, well in excess of the statutory minimum benchmark of 130%.

In view of EIB's prevailing operating margin (3.1% pre-tax return on assets for the 12 months ended June 2012), Fitch believes EIB's financial flexibility will remain sound after the planned subordinated debt issue. Fitch expects MAHB's financial leverage to rise above 10% post debt issue from zero at end-June 2012.

With more than 30% of its general insurance and shareholders' investments allocated to cash and deposits at end-June 2012, EIB has strong liquidity to meet claims from insurance liabilities.

Liquid assets (including structured deposits) accounted for about 2.55x of its general insurance's net technical reserves at end-June 2012.

Partly offsetting these positive attributes includes the market-wide adverse claims experience of the third-party motor insurance business and capital re-allocation within the operating entities of MAHB due to a change in Malaysian takaful regulatory capital regime.

Additionally, EIB has placed greater emphasis on regular premium life products to strengthen its growth sustainability as a significant portion of its premiums still comes from single premium investment-linked products which are sensitive to equity market performance.( Story provided by StockMarketWire.com )